Entrance Door Refinishing
This project was to strip, stain and refinish and oak door to match a restored mahogany garage door. The existing finish was weather, peeling, and the wood colors were distorted by the sun.
BEFORE - the oak door
The brighter areas are when the spar polyurethane has peeled completely away. There is crackled polyurethane in the decorative trim. The sun has bleached out stripes in the wood and the color varies from grey to gold to brown based on weathering and moisture penetration.
AFTER - the door restored
The stain was selected in a deep brown-red, to match the restored mahogany garage door. Many coats of exterior-grade spar polyurethane were used, with extensive dry time required, before the door could be used.
Door Refinishing Preparatory Steps
Refinishing begins with scraping off all loose finish, including using a chisel in tight spaces as required. Hardware is removed. Glass is protected. The old door finishing is then stripped using a solvent like Kutz-it. This is more gentle on a door than dipping it.
The old stain must be scraped off, using a chisel to remove goop from corners and trim molding. Steel wool is used to remove finish completely. In a more ideal world, the door would be removed from its hinges during the process, but this homeowner was home allowing door to be open.
The old stain must be scraped off, using a chisel to remove goop from corners and trim molding. Steel wool is used to remove finish completely. In a more ideal world, the door would be removed from its hinges during the process, but this homeowner was home allowing door to be open.
Door completely stripped
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